How Ignoring the Scale Can Help You Lose Weight

Ever step on the scale one week to see you've lost two pounds (yay!)…only to weigh in the next week and realize you've gained them both back (ugh)? You're in good company. A new University of Zurich study shows that people who successfully lose weight one week are more likely to lose ground the next. But here's the good news: People who focus on the process of losing weight instead of the scale tend to see steadier progress and fewer setbacks.

Women in the study dieted for six weeks. Those who focused more on process-oriented success (things like persistence and resisting temptations) were predicted to lose about four more pounds per week than the women who only focused on a desired outcome (such as a goal weight or size).

"Focusing on the process motivates people to keep going because it seems doable," says weight-loss expert Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D. "The goal then becomes any change, even a small one, rather than the end result. What's more, when you focus on the process, you can see the weekly small steps of achievement—which in turn gives positive emotional feedback and more motivation."

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